Young women serving in the resistance to Nazi Germany in Europe in World War II had many varied and dangerous roles. Whether hiding a variety of refugees—political, cultural, religious—and helping them to find freedom; guiding Jewish children to safety; aiding downed pilots; serving as vital links in the chain of underground communication; crafting forged documents; or spying on German units, theirs was a history marked by courage and resistance.

Only a handful of women resistance fighters, however, ever used a weapon to actually shoot Nazi targets. Two teenage sisters, Truus and Freddy Oversteegen, and their friend, a college-student named Hannie Schaft, trailed a unique path through war-torn North Holland. Working within a Haarlem resistance cell, their duties, which included explosive sabotage and several face-to-face assassinations, would make even the most experienced Macquis swallow hard.

Drawing on his new book, Three Ordinary Girls, author Tim Brady explores the resistance in the Netherlands through the amazing story of these three young women.

Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins and WWII Heroes (Penguin Random House) is available for purchase.

Book Sale Information

• Purchase your copy of Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins and WWII Heroes by Tim Brady here.
• SPECIAL NOTE: Politics and Prose is offering a 10% discount to Smithsonian Associates ticket-holders. To claim your discount, enter the code SPECIAL10 (no space between letters and numbers) in the “Coupon discount” section on Politics and Prose's check-out page.

Patron Information

• If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
• Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
• Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
• Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
• View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.